Icaranian Sun Salutation?

Princess Celestia's favorite Wonderbolts flight pattern is the Icaranian Sun Salutation, according to Twilight in Testing, Testing. Another mythological reference; Icarus is the son of Daedalus the inventor. Daedalus created wings made of wood with feathers held on by wax to help them escape from Crete. Icarus flew too close to the sun, the wax melted, and he plummeted to his death in the ocean. And Princess Celestia's favorite flight pattern is based on this.

So I'm presuming that it's the Wonderbolts retirement ceremony. The retiring member flies up as far as they can until their wings give out, then they fall to their deaths and create an opening for a new member. Celestia was probably very excited when she saw Rarity with the magic wings flying up and then her wings melting; that's her favorite flight pattern, after all.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

Well that's morbid. Can't it just be a pegasus imitating Celestia's posture as she raises the sun during that one flashback in "Cutie Mark Chronicles"? Or maybe the other Wonderbolts could catch the retiree?

(Also, I've been spelling it "Icaranean.")

[Solid Punch]

What.

[neokiva]

Don't forget the helicopter and the fact dash can learn without paying attention. And finally clouds react pegasi mood.

[TheAlmightySage]

Oh my various gods, that makes way too much sense.

[SpinelStride]

And yes, I did see Angel mimicking Celestia's sun-raising posture in the play, which does suggest the possibility that he was emulating her favorite flight pattern... but that's not much of a 'pattern' for Celestia to favor if it's a solo act and it's not a Wonderbolts flight pattern anyhow thus not relevant to the Wonderbolts history lesson.

[totallynotabrony]

This does explain a lot.